In the past there have been several different types of approaches taken in advertising merchandise carried on grocery store shelves, in refrigerator cabinets, and so forth. Advertising media are important, of course, to draw the attention of shoppers to various specials, new items, and featured items for a particular sale. Merchandisers have noted the advantages of having lighted signs or sign displays proximate merchandise such as canned goods to be placed on special. Many conventional signs have there electrical circuits connected to an AC source; this is impractical, however, because the provision of multiple AC outlets along a very long shelf display becomes prohibitively expensive. Certain display signs carry a battery pack proximate the display area; however, this does interfere with the viewing of the sign, especially bi-directional viewing to accommodate customers. A further problem in the prior art is presented in the case of rigid signs which might be inadvertently bumped and possibly damaged should a ridged connection be maintained between the outwardly projecting sign and its mount to a shelf, for example. A certain flexibility feature relative to the sign and its mount to the shelf has been adopted in the past as is evidenced by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,881,707 and 4,805,331; also, certain approaches have been taken in supplying battery power to signs, but which exclude practical application relative to the sign for bi-directional viewing, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,317,303 and 4,924,363.
For several reasons, and not believed disclosed in the prior art, what is needed is a battery supply proximate, i.e. at the mount of the device at the shelf proper, or the refrigerator enclosure which is to incorporate the sign. In this way both forward and rear surfaces of the outwardly projecting signs are completely free and unobstructed for viewing in either direction; this magnifies the uses of the sign for traffic in both directions in stores utilizing the device. A further feature which is needed, and not believed shown in the prior art, is the concept of having electrical connection from the battery station fixed adjacent to the shelf, to and through the flexible or articulative structure to the electrical circuit board of the sign proper. There is no art currently known to the inventor which teaches the concept of supplying electrical leads, for example, or other electrical connections between a battery supply mount and a flexible lighted sign, through a tongue, or spring, or articulative joint, so as to preserve resilience to the structure, and yet not interfere with sign lighting or the displacements and automatic restoration of the sign relative to its mount. A number (24) of U.S. patents are known which bear upon signs in general, however, and will be of interest and, to some small degree, relevant. These are as follows:
______________________________________ 1. Des 243639 9. 3070911 17. 4096656 2. Des 245945 10. 3084463 18. 4317303 3. 469487 11. 3226866 19. 4682430 4. 900590 12. 3517937 20. 4805331 5. 2654172 13. 3696541 21. 4819353 6. 2817131 14. 3931689 22. 4881707 7. 2924902 15. 4028828 23. 4924363 8. 3041760 16. 4055014 24. 4984693 ______________________________________